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CREATE Bill amendment: Sen. Cynthia Villar supports the amendment introduced by Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto removing the value added tax (VAT) on the sale of or importation of prescription drugs and medicines for cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and kidney diseases beginning January 1, 2021, instead of January 1, 2023. Villar, during the hybrid plenary session Tuesday, November 24, 2020, tackling Senate Bill No. 1357 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill, said she supports the amendment because all of the letters she received asking for hospital endorsement involved kidney diseases. “I think kidney diseases worsen during this time that is why I support that amendment. What is good about removing VAT, you make it cheaper for those who will buy their medicine. Just like in houses, if you remove the VAT, it’s not going to the people who are selling houses. It is going to the people who are buying houses. They can buy houses at a cheaper price. Same thing with medicine, if you remove the VAT, you make the medicine cheaper,” Villar said. (Screen grab/ Senate PRIB)